Oxalis plant named ‘Jroxachvel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Oxalis  plant named ‘Jroxachvel’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; numerous basal leaves; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; dark brown-colored leaves; white-colored flowers; and relative tolerance to high light levels.

Botanical designation: Oxalis regnellii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JROXACHVEL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Oxalisplant, botanically known as Oxalis regnellii and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Jroxachvel’.

The new Oxalis plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Szombathely, Hungary. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-flowering Oxalis plants thathave an improved propagation rate and tolerance to high light levels.

The new Oxalis plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Szombathely, Hungary during the summer of 2003 of aproprietary selection of Oxalis regnellii identified as code number M6,not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selectionof Oxalis regnellii identified as code number L7, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Oxalis plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Szombathely, Hungary in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Oxalis plant by tissue culture inGensingen, Germany since 2010 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Oxalis plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Oxalis have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment conditions such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Jroxachvel’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Jroxachvel’ as a new and distinct Oxalis plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Numerous basal leaves; dense and bushy plant form.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Dark brown-colored leaves.    -   5. White-colored flowers.    -   6. Relatively tolerant to high light levels.

Plants of the new Oxalis can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Oxalis differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in flowering time as plants of the new Oxalisflower for a longer period of time than plants of the female parentselection.

Plants of the new Oxalis can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Oxalis differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Oxalis havemore brownish-colored leaves than plants of the male parent selectionduring the autumn.

Plants of the new Oxalis can be compared to plants of Oxalis regnellii‘Jroxburwi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,557. Plants of the newOxalis differ primarily from plants of ‘Jroxburwi’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Oxalis are more vigorous than plants of        ‘Jroxburwi’.    -   2. Plants of the new Oxalis are more upright than plants of        ‘Jroxburwi’.    -   3. Plants of the new Oxalis flower for a longer period of time        than plants of ‘Jroxburwi’.    -   4. Plants of the new Oxalis and ‘Jroxburwi’ differ in leaf color        as plants of ‘Jroxburwi’ have dark purple-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Oxalis can also be compared to plants of Oxalisregnellii ‘Jroxfroja’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,558. Plantsof the new Oxalis differ primarily from plants of ‘Jroxfroja’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Oxalis are more vigorous than plants of        ‘Jroxfroja’.    -   2. Plants of the new Oxalis are more upright than plants of        ‘Jroxfroja’.    -   3. Plants of the new Oxalis and ‘Jroxfroja’ differ in leaf color        as plants of ‘Jroxfroja’ have dark green-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Oxalis plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Oxalis plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Jroxachvel’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Jroxachvel’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in one-gallon containers during thesummer and early autumn in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall,Calif. under commercial production cultural practices. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 24° C. to 35° C.and night temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 20° C. Plants were nineweeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Oxalis regnellii ‘Jroxachvel’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Oxalis            regnellii identified as code number M6, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Oxalis            regnellii identified as code number L7, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at 24° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots, summer.—About            six weeks at 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eight            weeks at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.        -   Rhizome description.—Quantity per container: About 40            rhizomes develop per container. Length: About 1.7 cm.            Diameter: About 8 mm. Scale length: About 7 mm. Scale width:            About 5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N171C            to N171D.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial flowering            plant; upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded            plant habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves basal, clumping and arising from            rhizomes; leaves clover-like, palmate three-foliate.        -   Leaflet length.—About 3 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 5 cm.        -   Leaflet shape.—Broadly triangular.        -   Leaflet apex.—Emarginate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 200B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 187B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 200A; venation,            close to 200A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 187B; venation, close to 187B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 20.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147C to 147D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Rotate single flowers arranged in            loose umbels; flowers facing upright or outwardly and            positioned just above the foliar plane; freely flowering            habit, about five to six flowers per umbel.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Oxalis flower            continuously year-round in Southern California.        -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit, plants begin            flowering about four to five weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to four days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm to 3.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to NN155B.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five petals arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to NN155D. When            opening, lower surface: Close to NN155C. Fully opened, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D; towards the base, close            to 145B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 145B. Color, lower surface: Close to            145A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 21 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Strength:            Strong. Angle: Upright to outwardly. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Strength:            Moderately strong. Angle: About 30° to 45° from peduncle            axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About ten in two            whorls. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close            to 157D. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.            Anther color: Close to 3D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 3C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma            color: Close to 144A. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color:            Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 145B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Oxalis have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Oxalis.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Oxalis have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   High light tolerance: Plants of the new Oxalis have been observed to    be relatively tolerant to high light levels.

1. A new and distinct Oxalis plant named ‘Jroxachvel’ as illustrated anddescribed.